Nord Stream II, a proposed new Russia-Germany gas pipeline, is not in the EU’s interests, the European Council President Donald Tusk has said. “In my perspective, Nord Stream [II] does not help diversification, nor would it reduce our energy dependency,” Tusk said at a press conference in Brussels on Friday, according to euobserver.com....

European Union envoys have agreed to extend the bloc’s economic sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine by another six months until 31 July 2016, newswires reported on Friday. The sanctions, which apply to Russia’s oil, military and energy sectors as well as individuals linked to the Ukraine conflict, were to expire on 31...

Nord Stream II, a proposed new Russia-Germany gas pipeline, is not in the EU’s interests, the European Council President Donald Tusk has said. “In my perspective, Nord Stream [II] does not help diversification, nor would it reduce our energy dependency,” Tusk has said at a press conference in Brussels on Friday, according to euobserver.com....

Kiev’s rejection of payment proposal could hinder Ukrainian efforts to restructure country’s growing debt with international creditors Ukraine has refused to repay Russia a $3bn (£2.01bn) loan after a bitter row that could put on hold Kiev’s plans to restructure its growing debt with international creditors.The Ukrainian...

European Union envoys have agreed to extend the bloc’s economic sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine by another six months until 31 July 2016, newswires reported on Friday. The sanctions, which apply to Russia’s oil, military and energy sectors as well as individuals linked to the Ukraine conflict, were to expire on 31...

Ukraine has imposed a “moratorium” on the large loan Moscow granted its neighbor before the regime change, the country’s prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said. The Kremlin has threatened to sue Ukraine over the issue. …read more Source: Deutsche...

EU states’ ambassadors in Brussels on Friday agreed to extend economic sanctions on Russia by six months. EU capitals are to complete formalities by written procedure at noon on Monday. The decision is to become legally binding when it is published in the bloc’s gazette, the Official Journal, on Tuesday. …read more Source:...

Plans to double the capacity of the Russia-backed Nord Stream gas pipeline to Germany would only serve to consolidate Moscow’s grip on the European gas market, European Council President Donald Tusk warned Friday. Central and Eastern European countries, together with Italy, forced the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline expansion onto the agenda...